As we head into November, many of us NaNoWriMo writers are trying to come up with some sort of plot, or even just the tiniest little seed of an idea which we can water carefully, nurture and feed as it grows into a blossom, and then try to wring fifty thousand words out of it as if it were a recalcitrant sponge.

Gaiman's essay isn't so much on the creative process itself as what he and other people think about it, but it's an interesting read, and does contain a few starting points if you need them.

So, I've heard from some of you, but... what's your plot/idea this year? My goal is to get the first story arc of Pyrlogos completely plotted and scripted, and have outlines of varying detail for the next two or three arcs.

When one of the guys at our writing group first started his daughter on NaNoWriMo, I believe it was as part of her home-schooling curriculum, with a goal of 10,000 words and a certain daily goal to meet as well. I don't know what else they did as part of it... what do you have planned for your shepherding?

Weekly write ins, prompts when needed, excercises, etc. This thursday we're doing character sheets and world building. I found an awesome "novel notebook" which (for interested parties) I'm going to print out and hand out for them. I'm going to fill one out for my own novel, but also as an example.We also have a progress chart, are registered at YWP...yeah. Lots of things.It's weird, I'm in a position of authority.